Coastal Climate Changes And Rising Insurance Costs Necessitate Hurricane Proofing Homes
Private insurers are raising rates or pulling out completely in areas where costly seaside development continues and where, according to forecasters, powerful storms are likely to hit again and cause huge property losses.
It is more than apparent that in order for homes to survive thru hurricanes, changes need to be made. New technology needs to be applied in construction, new regulations need to be implemented by local governments, and homeowners need to make sure that their homes are not only being built stronger but that they own enough insurance to cover any damages that may still occur.
Local governments are doing their part to prepare for hurricanes and implement beach restoration projects. They are also implementing new building standards to new constructions being built in the coastal areas in order to insure that new structures are more hurricane resistant than existing ones.
Developers and builders of new communities and homes are now offering homes that are hurricane proof and meet not only local standards, but are certified by national institutions such as, The Institute for Business & Home Safety, I.B.H.S.
Home Insurance
Two years after Hurricane Katrina, state governments along the Gulf Coast and in other storm-prone areas of the country are facing a fundamental problem—how to keep homeowners insurance available and affordable in places deemed riskier all the time.
Under pressure from residents who can no longer find affordable homeowners insurance—or any homeowners insurance—states are scrambling to fill the void left by the private firms. In some cases, they are taking on more of the insurance burden themselves and, in other cases, courting insurers with tax breaks and other incentives in an attempt to expand access and drive prices down.
The Gulf Coast, still nowhere near recovery after Katrina left more than $40 billion in insurance claims in its wake, remains the center of attention. The governors of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi met with insurance executives on Aug. 26 in Biloxi, Miss., to discuss the coverage crisis and call attention to the scope of the problem.
Texas had already established departments to assist homeowners with information regarding homeowner insurance as well as an association to provide affordable windstorm insurance to coastal property owners who would otherwise not be able to obtain insurance the higher premiums of other insurance companies.
In 1971, when hurricane Celia struck the Texas coast on August 3, 1970, many insurance companies ceased to write business in this region. To protect consumers, the state stepped in and created the Texas Catastrophe Property Insurance Association (now called the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association).
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) regulates the state’s insurance industry. They encourage company competition to make insurance available and affordable. They also educate consumers to help them make well-informed insurance decisions.
While TWIA is the insurance mechanism by which Texas coastal residents may secure windstorm and hail coverage, TDI is the means by which enforcement of building codes and standards are met for the property being insured. Additions and alterations to existing property as well as all new construction must secure state certification of applicable building codes to be eligible for windstorm and hail coverage through TWIA.
On September 27, 2007, the U.S. House of Representatives agreed to add wind coverage to national flood insurance. The proposal was included in a bill, approved on a 263-146 vote, which would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for another five years. It would allow homeowners who purchase flood insurance to buy federal wind coverage as well.
Supporters of the plan said the new program is needed because many wind damage claims resulting from Katrina were denied by insurance adjusters who insisted the damage was caused by the killer storm's waters.
“If the bill becomes law, the new federal flood insurance would be available to homeowners in June or July,” Rep. Gene Taylor said.
Supporters argued the program would not cost taxpayers a dime. Taylor said all claims would be paid from premiums. "This pays for itself.
Those premiums would not be subsidized by the federal government but based on actuarial data, Taylor said. But he said he did not know the cost of those premiums.
But the proposed new federal wind insurance program still faces hurdles. White House advisers Wednesday urged President Bush to veto the bill, saying taxpayers would unfairly subsidize insurance rates for people in high-risk areas. Opponents of the bill, mostly Republicans, said the new program would make taxpayers pay for disaster claims of coastal residents who willfully put their homes at risk.
"The opposition by the administration and insurance companies shows that they do not understand the insurance crisis facing our state and others along the Gulf Coast," Rep. Bobby Jindal said.
There is "still a long way to go to develop a comprehensive federal disaster response system," Rep Charles Boustany said Thursday, "but today's vote to include windstorm damage in the National Flood Insurance Program is one important step."
Homeowners Here are some tips from insurance experts to help you protect both your wallet and your homes. And they could prove to be smart investments as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has warned that climate changes will result in increasingly severe hurricane activity in the years to come. Insurers say policyholders are frequently caught unaware that their homes are vulnerable to the high winds of a hurricane.
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Glue Your Roof Down | During a hurricane, the wind may almost seem to be ripping the roof off your home. So give your roof a bit of reinforcement. With some glue, you can increase your roof's resistance to wind.
The Federal Alliance for Safe Home recommends you go to your local home improvement store and get premium flooring adhesive. Using a caulking gun, put a small bead of glue to the underside of your roof where the roof and the support beams meet. Be sure to look for an adhesive that has been tested and has a strong rating like APA AFG-01 ASTM D 3498.
Gary Cantor, managing director at Florida Peninsula, which provides coverage to the coastal areas many insurers shy away from, said homes with gabled roofs are more likely to suffer wind damage. Tile and aluminum roofs are preferable, but tying down a gabled roof with additional braces should help prevent some damage.
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Reinforce Your Windows | Forget about taping your windows, it's a waste of time. If you live in a hurricane or storm-prone area, you may want to think about installing impact resistant windows, recommends Leslie Chapman-Henderson of the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. These windows are designed to withstand flying debris.
Keep in mind that you'll be paying for the extra protection. Impact resistant windows may cost twice as much as regular windows. These windows are designed to withstand the impact of a standard missile traveling at 34 mph.
If you don't live in an area that has a lot of hurricanes, you may think about investing in storm shutters. For the best shutter protection, install permanent shutters that carry the Miami-Dade building code approval. This is the highest standard a product can carry, according to Tim Reinhold of the Institute for Building and Home Safety.
Storm shutters can cost $50 to $60 per square foot of window. You can also use plywood shutters. According to the Red Cross, these shutters can offer a high level of protection if you install them properly. But make sure the plywood is at least 3/4 inch thick.
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Secure Your Garage
| About 80 percent of residential hurricane damage starts with wind entry through garage doors, according to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. Many garage doors are made of lightweight materials to conserve weight and expense, which makes them vulnerable to high winds.
Look for a sticker on the inside of your garage door that gives you a pressure rating. If you don't see a sticker, chances are you'll need to reinforce your doors. Consumer beware: There are many products out there claiming to provide protection. But they may not be up to code and they can be quite expensive, says Kerri Caldwell of "Hurricane Protection Magazine." In some cases, you may be paying over $15 a square inch to shield your garage.
It makes better sense to replace your garage door system with impact resistant garage doors. This can cost you about $1,200. A cheap way of reinforcing your garage is to use plywood or steel. You can also hire a contractor to reinforce your garage, but you should expect to pay about $600, according to the Federal Emergency Management Association.
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Check your trees
| Every year falling trees and tree limbs cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage as well as personal injuries and deaths. Homeowners are the first line of defense against problem trees.
You'll need to regularly check for signs of damage or disease including cracks in the trunk or major limbs, insect infestations, trees that look one-sided or that lean significantly, branches hanging over the house or near the roof, limbs in contact with power lines or mushrooms growing from the bark, which can indicate decay.
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Secure your stuff | If you have furniture and other outdoor equipment on your patio or deck, bring them inside when strong weather threatens. Don't forget trash cans, grills, toys, and potted plants. Keep them from becoming flying objects that can cause additional injury or damage during storms with high winds.
"You would be very surprised about what people don't think about," says Chapman-Henderson. "We saw garden gnomes wedged into palm trees. We saw an old record sliced into a tree. We saw sailboats in the tops of trees after Hurricane Andrew," she said.
An added perk to being smart about prevention may be seen in your insurance payments. Every step you take to minimize damage to your home may shave your homeowner's insurance premiums, said Bob Hunter, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America.
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Know Your Insurance Policy | One common mistake, for example, is that homeowners assume that items such as flood and windstorms are covered. Not so. Standard homeowners' policies usually only protect against damage from fire, theft, lightning and explosions.
Flood insurance is available from the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program and should be a standard investment, experts say.
Insurers that do provide coverage can make it costly for homeowners. Since 1992's devastating Hurricane Andrew, Florida insurers have raised premiums for hurricane insurance and changed deductibles from set dollar amounts as low as $500 to between 2 to 5 percent of the total value of a policyholder's home.
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Know the value of your property
| Too often homeowners buy policies that cover the value of their home when they first purchased it. With surging real estate values, that's a mistake. While 98 percent of homeowners nationally have insurance, about 64 percent remain underinsured by an average of 27 percent. That can prove costly for homeowners if they're forced to rebuild after a natural disaster.
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Click here to watch a video of how to better protect your home from damages.
Local Governments The federal and state governments have learned that changes need to occur in order to better prepare in case another strong hurricane such as Katrina hits the coast. Local governments are also doing their part to ensure that the different coastal communities are prepared to deal with consequences from natural disasters in the best way possible.
Preventing coastal erosion will help protect existing buildings on the coast as well as safeguard natural beaches. Dune restorations are a key factor in protecting beaches as well as existing infrastructure and residences that are located along the Texas Coast. Local governments are working hard to not only gather enough funds to come up with the best solutions but also implement these solutions as soon as possible to prevent any further erosion from occurring.
Building Codes are another issue that has been dealt with by state and local governments. Stricter codes are being adopted by counties affected by hurricanes in which reconstruction has become a necessity. Hurricane Katrina has made it apparent that houses were not being built strong enough to resist strong winds and flood surge. As a result of the extensive damage caused many communities have to face reconstruction and are implementing stricter guidelines for new homes.
Below are examples of how local governments are dealing with these issues affecting the Gulf Coast.
Beach Restoration 
Some scientists say that over the next 100 years, seas heated by global warming could rise by a foot and a half to 3 feet and possibly devastate America’s coastal communities — including South Padre Island.
Yet representatives from local government and the scientific community are not without hope that areas like this barrier island can respond to challenges posed by global warming.
As scientists and federal officials met this past week in Washington to discuss the threats of global warming this century, an interactive online map from scientists at the University of Arizona showed how the Gulf of Mexico could swallow South Padre Island with a rise of just 3 feet.
In May 2006, Environmental Defense, a nonprofit watch group, issued a publication, “Fair Warning: Global Warming and the Lone Star State.” The report warned that increasing sea levels this century could have devastating effects, especially for South Padre Island.
“If the sea level rises by three feet, South Padre Island will be lost,” the report stated. “Much of Galveston Island would be uninhabitable.”
In 2004, based on projections that sea levels could rise more than a foot and a half this century, a U.S. Geological Survey study identified highly vulnerable areas of the Padre Island National Seashore, which starts north of the Port Mansfield jetties and extends nearly 70 miles to the north through Willacy, Kenedy and Kleberg Counties into Nueces County by Corpus Christi.
Approximately 20 miles of beach in Kenedy County near the Kleberg County line faces a low vulnerability to sea level changes, while the rest of the refuge ranges from moderate to very high, according to the report.
Areas were most vulnerable where dunes were not stable and tides could wash over and erode the structures, according to the report, which was based on the same U.S. Geological Survey as the University of Arizona maps.
If the costs of preserving South Padre Island are considered worthy by people, SPI City Manager, Dewey Cashwell said, then people will adapt to the environment here.
“The beach renourishment efforts are just one phase of that,” Cashwell said. “I would expect that if this property is continued to be valued for the purposes it now serves, folks will find millions over the next 100 or 50 years to address the concerns that are greatest to them.” Ingenuity, technology, changing building codes and other aspects will also help coastal communities adapt, he said.
South Padre Island has a history of ambitious beach restoration projects. In June 2005, the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association named the Island as one of four American beaches worthy of its national preservation award. Mayor Robert N. Pinkerton Jr. would later travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, to claim the prize.
A pocket of sand in the Gulf of Mexico, one of three possible offshore sand sources found by a recently completed first phase of a study sponsored by South Padre Island and its Economic Development Corporation, could yield tens of millions of cubic yards of material for Island beaches. (
Click here to learn more about South Padre Island’s Beach Restoration plans )
Geotextile Tube on the Bolivar Peninsula |
Galveston County, in cooperation with a group of property owners and other local interests, decided to pursue an aggressive program of dune reconstruction with sand-filled geotextile tube cores to provide enhanced storm protection for public and private infrastructure and property.
The Corps of Engineers installed a geo-tube on the coastline extending five miles on each side of rollover pass in Gilchrist Texas. The project provides protection of public beach and public infrastructure using a natural beach restoration technique. The project uses the cost-effective and beneficial use of dredged material and has been deemed as one of the most successful projects implemented by the Government to protect and enhance the Texas Coastline.
The geo-tube has already been credited with saving over 200 homes on the Bolivar Peninsula coastline.
County Office of Emergency Management officials credit the geo-tubes with saving parts of Texas 87 and preventing about $11 million in property damage when rains and wind from Hurricane Claudette blew through Bolivar Peninsula.
"If we had not had the tube it would have gotten two to three rows of homes," said Oehlers, president of the Gilchrist Association, in a telephone interview. "We didn't realize how bad it was because we had the tube," said Oehlers, who has lived in Gilchrist for 26 years.
"With a geo-tube enhanced beachfront and the added protection of hurricane resistant homes - placed at almost flood proof heights - you have a combination that even the most cautious insurer can't deny." says Jim Hayes, Senior Partner of Crown Team Texas, developer of Audubon Village and Laguna Harbor.
Stricter Building Codes Among the many policy responses to recent natural disasters and their costs have been proposals to tighten land use restrictions and building codes in disaster-prone areas.
Residential building codes have been in use in the United States for over 100 years, with the first model code published by the National Board of Fire Underwriters in 1905. Local governments regulate construction through building codes as an exercise of police power, although the codes themselves may be based on a regional or national model.
The effects of Katrina and Rita will be with Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states for a generation or more. The good news is hurricane recovery represents an opportunity to improve the quality of life for thousands of families. They need support from all of us to achieve a better quality of life. And as we rebuild, we must do it right.
Louisiana took an important step to help prevent future hurricane damage by adopting the International Codes to guide reconstruction. The wind and flood provisions of the 2003 International Building Code and 2003 International Residential Code have been adopted for the parishes declared federal disaster areas following Katrina and Rita. Statewide adoption of the 2006 IBC, IRC and the 2006 International Existing Building, Fuel Gas and Mechanical Codes took effect Jan. 1, 2007.
Mississippi also responded to Katrina and Rita by forming a State Building Codes Council and requiring Mississippi’s five coastal counties to adopt the wind and flood provisions of the 2003 IBC and IRC. The council also chose the 2003 IBC and IRC as codes that may be adopted when jurisdictions choose to adopt building codes.
Prior to 2001, Texas had no statewide standards for any residential or commercial buildings constructed within a city. Each city chose what, if any, building code(s) to adopt for construction within the city limits, and each city amended its code to meet local concerns. The most common codes were the Uniform Building Codes and the Southern Standard Building Code.
In 2001, at the behest of homebuilders, the Texas Legislature adopted the International Residential Code (IRC) and the National Electrical Code (NEC) as the standard building codes for residential construction in Texas cities starting January 1, 2002. Under the statute, cities are authorized to make amendments to these codes to meet local concerns.
The International Codes are undergoing constant modification. From the following chart it can be seen that some of the issues regarding
What The Code Says
Detached one- and two-family dwellings constructed in accordance with the 2006 IRC results in a system that provides a complete load path that meets requirements for the transfer of loads from their point of origin through the load-resisting elements to the foundation. The IRC contains prescriptive requirements for residential construction that are within the scope of the design criteria specified in the code.
The code is applicable for construction in regions where the basic wind speeds are less than 100 mph in hurricane-prone regions or less than 110 mph elsewhere. Buildings located in areas with wind speeds greater than those specified must be designed in accordance with standards listed in the code. Engineered design in accordance with the IBC is permitted.
The code addresses wind-borne debris, methods of wall bracing, roof tie-downs and roof assemblies. In the space that follows, some of the ways codes address these issues are addressed. However, this should not be considered a comprehensive list of code requirements. hurricane elements have been modified while others have remained relatively the same since the 2000 IRC.
- Windows in buildings located in wind-borne debris regions must be protected with the use of impact-resistant glazing or shutters.
- The amount of wall bracing is based on the wind speed, number of stories and type of bracing used.
- Rafters and trusses must be attached to their supporting wall assemblies by connections capable of providing the required resistance.
- Asphalt shingles classified using ASTM D 3161 are acceptable for wind speeds less than 110 mph but must be classified using ASTM D 3161, Class F, for wind speeds greater than 110 mph. For normal application, asphalt shingles must be secured to the roof with not less than four fasteners per strip shingle or two fasteners per individual shingle. Where the wind speed is 110 mph or greater, special fastening methods are required.
- Underlayment in areas where the wind speed is greater than 110 mph must be applied in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
There are additional code requirements for buildings located within a flood hazard area. Buildings in a local flood hazard map must be designed in accordance with the following:
- Lowest portion of all structural members supporting the lowest floor must be located above the design flood elevation.
- The building must be designed, connected and anchored to resist flotation, collapse or permanent lateral movement due to loads from flooding equal to the design flood elevation.
- Mechanical and electrical systems must be above the design flood elevation.
- Water supply and sanitary sewage systems must be designed to minimize or eliminate infiltration of flood waters into the system.
- Construction must be by methods and practices that minimize flood damage.
Building codes are important tools for mitigating potential damages from hurricanes. When properly applied and enforced, building codes are the solution. It must be emphasized that codes make buildings hurricane-resistant, not hurricane-proof. While building to newer codes may result in slight increases in construction costs, studies show that every dollar spent on building safer and stronger prevents four to seven dollars in future losses. Any building in which appropriate design and construction techniques have been correctly applied should be considered affordable.
Builders and Developers
In order for homes to withstand hurricanes, builders must make a commitment as well. They know the value of a disaster-resistant home and that techniques and materials can strengthen homes. Building codes should not be looked at as a burden. The codes are in place to protect builders and their clients. Learning and following code requirements comes with the reward of better protection of our nation’s coastal residents.
Luckily, currently there are builders that are offering houses that not only meet building code requirements but are being certified by several institutions and government organizations. Three of these developers are: Crown Team Texas, Category Five Homes and Topsider homes.
One group,
Crown Team Texas from Beaumont, is building hurricane resistant homes from modular factory-built sections that are bolted onto sky-scraper inspired concrete and steel pillars 25ft above and below the ground.
They are built to withstand hurricane winds as well as the most severe flooding, says Jim Hayes, the managing principal.
These homes are certified storm and flood resistant by the I.B.H.S. Fortified Living Standards program.
The Institute for Business & Home Safety (I.B.H.S.) is a nonprofit association that engages in communication, education, engineering and research that specify construction, design and landscaping guidelines to increase a new home's resistance to natural disaster from the ground up.
These affordable and attractive homes are currently being installed at
Audubon Village Gilchrist and
Laguna Harbor Port Bolivar on the Bolivar Peninsula in seaside neighborhoods behind a geo-tube protected beachfront in Gilchrist and concrete re-enforced bulkheads on the bayside in Port Bolivar.
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now promoting the concept of building “Shelters-In-Place”, in areas where evacuation is not mandatory and the home is built to weather the storm. Homebuilders are currently promoting the construction of integrated safe rooms in homes, creating one small area of safety. CATEGORY FIVE HOMES is building the entire home to exceed even those specifications, making anywhere in the home safe during most storms. CATEGORY FIVE HOMES become a sanctuary in these situations, with separate integrated power generation and water purification in the event of local outages.
Topsider homes, which are built virtually all around the world, start out in a factory in Clemmons, North Carolina. The components are shipped to the end location and assembled by local builders. And along with all their other out-of-the-mainstream features, every house is designed with local weather conditions, environmental factors and local building code requirements in mind.
"They do everything they were designed to do -- they're flood-proof, hurricane-proof and earthquake-proof. And they are easily maintained and very efficient," said Hubert Spradling of Orange, TX , owner of four of Topsider homes. "We've been very happy with them."
The first Topsider homes were built on the sides of mountains and on ocean beaches, in vacation and resort areas. From the beginning, salt air, steep terrain, snowloading -- any local conditions that might present a threat -- were addressed in the design and engineering.
With developers committed to the highest standards in building new homes to resist harsh weather conditions you can rest assured that your vacation home will not only qualify to be insured but will also have a much better chance of being one of the homes that still stands after a hurricane passes thru.
In order to ensure the future of coastal communities, homeowners, government and builders must work together as a team to prepare for hurricanes. Homeowners need to make sure their residences are strong enough, government needs to continue to look for better infrastructure to secure coastal properties and builders need to continue to look for better engineering strategies that will result in stronger more resistant homes.